Logan seeks storm shelter

April 14, 2007

Officials of Logan are exploring the possibility of leasing land owned by the Interstate Stream Commission to build a civic center for meetings, to serve as a storm shelter and to provide space for outdoor activities.

“We could use the land to build a new civic center and community storm shelter,” said Larry Wallin, Village of Logan manager. “The land has just been sitting there un-utilized for several years.”

Logan’s request for a storm shelter/civic center site from the ISC comes in the wake of a tornado that hit the town on March 23 destroying dozens of homes.

The request was made at the monthly ISC meeting, which was held in Logan on Wednesday, by Wallin and David Babb, mayor of Logan.

“Logan is land restricted and open space has become a valuable commodity,” said Babb. “We are basically looking out for the future of Logan. As the community grows, we will need more facilities.

“If we have a meeting that the current civic center cannot house then our only option is the school. If we had the land, we could build a facility that all organizations in Logan could use for their benefits,” Babb.

Also, “with the recent tornado a lot of people have been expressing the need for a warning system but what good will that do if there is no place for them to go,” Babb said.

Logan officials showed the ISC site possibilties, along the 540 Loop extending from the Logan Airport to the spillway of the Ute Lake Dam.

ISC officials said Logan officials would need to provide the acreage and exact location of the site which could then be put on the agenda for its May meeting.